How to register ownership of housing in Turkey
Tapu (certificate of registration of ownership) in Turkey is registered at the location of the purchased property in the Cadastre.
Before submitting documents for registration, it is necessary to submit an application to an independent expert commission for a market valuation of the housing being sold.
This procedure takes about 2 working days. After receiving the real estate appraisal document, the next step is the delivery of a package of documents to the Cadastral Office.
Documents required for submission to the Cadastre
- Buyer’s tax number. The document is issued by the Turkish Tax Inspectorate. To open, the personal presence of the buyer with a passport is required.
- Original and notarized translation of the buyer’s passport.
- 2 color photographs 3×4. A prerequisite for paperwork.
Tapu Registration Procedure
Submission of an application to the Cadastral Office for registration of the purchase and sale transaction takes place strictly in the morning from 8.00 – 12.00. After submitting the package of documents and consideration, the second stage is the payment of tax at an ATM or bank branch (payment is accepted and should be carried out only in cash). The amount of tax payable is sent by SMS notification to the applicant’s contact phone number.
The real estate tax rate is 4% of the cadastral value of the purchased housing. The tax is levied once when making a transaction in the Cadastre. Of the additional costs, there is also Stamp Tax – the amount does not exceed 900 Turkish liras and the service of a licensed sworn translator (a mandatory requirement for a foreign real estate purchase and sale transaction) – no more than 150 Turkish liras in a one-time transaction.
The third stage, after paying the tax, receives a second SMS notification, which indicates the date and time of re-registration of the transaction from the Seller to the Buyer.
The procedure for re-registration in the Cadastre in a room with video surveillance. There is also a seller, a buyer, a translator (licensed) and, in the case of transactions through our agency, the participation of a lawyer. Together with the buyer, an act of absence of claims against each other is signed. After that, the process of transfer of ownership takes place. The buyer is entered in the Cadastral Book, and within 15 minutes they are issued a Tapu cadastral sheet (certificate of ownership of an apartment in Turkey or a house).
What is also very important to know
- Foreign citizens, as well as Turkish citizens, have equal rights to own real estate as an individual/persons and as legal institutions.
- Notary offices in Turkey are not related to the procedure for registration of housing and their registration. Notary offices have the authority only to certify the contract of sale, which stipulates the amount of the purchased property and the terms of payment.
